A New Life
by Adea
Summary: Hermione wonders how her life would have turned out that way. Little did she know that she would get a second chance… Completely AU ! Not a romantic pairing. Rated M because of suicide attempt though the story will have a nicer atmosphere soon .
1. Unexpected thoughts

**A New Life**

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Summary : Hermione wonders how her life would have turned out that way. Little did she know that she would get a second chance… Completely AU ! (Lame summary, I know, but read and see !)

Most of the story will be about Hermione and Snape. This is NOT a romantic pairing (it will become obvious in the third chapter I guess).

Disclaimer : I do not own Harry Potter or any other character from the saga. I only write for my own pleasure (and hopefully for my readers'). I am not a native English speaker, so please forgive the mistakes you might find :)

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**Chapter 1 : Unexpected thoughts**

Detention...

The dungeon bat gave her detention. She had been unconscious in the hospital wing for days. She had just lost her parents and one of her best friends in a Death Eater attack. She was of course devastated, but she insisted on going back to school as soon as possible. She was Hermione after all... She knew, deep down, that it was probably a bad idea, but she wanted to forget everything. She wanted her mind to be as busy as possible. So, she nagged Poppy as hard as she could, and finally, she was able to go back to class.

Everyone was acting strange around her. Except Harry and Ginny, who had visited her every day during her recovery time, people were awkward around her, and she hated it. People kept staring, in a way they believed to be subtle, and whispering things about her. Teachers seemed more discreet. They did their best to teach their classes as usual although they didn't push her as they normally would have.

Hermione hadn't been allowed to do any homework in the hospital wing, and since Madam Pomfrey didn't release her until the exact morning she was starting classes again, she didn't have any of the essays that their class was supposed to hand in. Flitwick didn't mind the slightest. Hermione, even with several weeks of absence, was ahead of most of the class. McGonagall understood too of course, but she still asked Hermione to hand the essay by the end of the week. Snape on the other hand didn't care for excuses... He knew why she hadn't been able to do the essay, but he gave her detention anyway. She knew that teacher was unfair but not that much... She also knew that trying to get another teacher to reason him was pointless, so she didn't even try. Therefore, she went to the dungeons, as ordered. As she came close to the Potions Master office, the voice of Professor McGonagall pestering Snape was getting clearer and clearer.

'For Merlin's sake Severus, you cannot be serious... Surely you know what happened to the girl...' McGonagall's stern voice was easily recognizable.

'I do not see why she should get any preferential treatment... Never have I exempted a student from doing his homework. Even a Slytherin.' He added the last part to make sure Minerva wouldn't use his legendary inequity as an argument.

'You know that she hasn't been allowed by Poppy to do any homework. And if she hadn't been so insistent about it she wouldn't even had been released yet !'

'Exactly. She chose to come back even though she was not ready. Now she will face consequences.'

McGonagall sighed.

'Severus, she has enough to think about right now. Not only has she lost her parents and one of her dearest friends, but she is now behind in every class. Giving her detentions far from what she needs...'

'She needs things to be normal. She wants to be treated as any other student. She wouldn't have requested to come back otherwise. And she will now serve detention as any other students would if they hadn't done their homework in time.'

Again, McGonagall sighed, only this time, she didn't argue.

'Very well… It does make some sense. But please, be careful, she is still grieving, even if she tries hard not to show it…'

Then, Hermione heard footsteps. She backed away from the door, and made it seem like she had just arrived into the corridor as McGonagall came out. They both nodded to acknowledge each other, and Hermione knocked on Snape's door.

'Enter.' As she did, he didn't even wait for her to speak, and told her what her assignment was. 'Miss Granger, you will brew a full batch of Blood Replenishing Potion, and another of Pepper Up Potion for the hospital wing.'

She nodded and got to work. She normally would have been furious. Brewing potions for the hospital wings was supposed to be _his_ job. Giving unfair detentions to get rid of his own assignments would have usually seemed outrageous to her… But she had others things on her mind. He actually gave her detentions because he thought that was best for her… Or was that just an excuse ? Well, it was what she wanted anyway. She wanted things to be normal, and Snape had been the only one treat her normally. In fact, she didn't really care why Snape acted like that. The point was that he did, and she was grateful for it. So, she brewed what he asked her to, and then came back to her dormitory for the night.

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**A.N. : I know this was small, and didn't give much clue for what's coming next, but I'll update soon, I promise ! I always welcome reviews (just don't be too mean :p)**


	2. Unexpected behaviours

Hi, and thanks to everyone who added this fic ! I hope you'll like the second chapter :)

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**Chapter 2 : Unexpected behaviour**

Over the next few days, other teachers kept being strangely nice to her. She hated being seen as "the poor little girl". Therefore, the only class she enjoyed was Potions. She gave Snape reasons to give her extra homework or detentions on purpose, because it was the only moments when she felt like any other student. In two weeks, she earned herself several three-feet long essays about various ridiculous subjects, and five detentions. Even Snape was getting worried about her behaviour now, so on a Saturday afternoon, when she was to serve detention, he decided to talk to the girl.

'Miss Granger, I am growing concerned about your recent behaviour in my classes. It seems none of the other teachers have to deal with the same problems, and I thought maybe you had an explanation ?'

Hermione silently shrugged. She didn't expect Snape to actually talk to her about her behaviour.

'I was under the impression that perhaps you were… purposely provoking me, in order to get detentions. Not that I think you appreciate my company… But perhaps people are being too nice with you, and you somewhat appreciated the fact that I do not pity you as others seem to ?'

Hermione was speechless. No one seemed to understand her. Many people tried. People she was close to didn't manage to read through her and Snape did ? Well… That was new…

'Your unusual lack of arguments leads me to think I am right ?'

Hermione nodded slightly.

'I… I just want things to be normal. I want to…'

Try as she might, she couldn't hold her tears back, and the rest of her sentence never left her mouth. As much as Snape hated crying students, he didn't show it.

'You wish to forget… I understand.' He sighed. 'However, you will never forget. You will learn to live with it. Other people will too, and things might not exactly get back to normal, but they will settle down eventually. However, earning yourself detentions in my class will not help. Therefore, I expect your behaviour to change in the near future.' His voice was stern, but it was far from his usual insulting tone.

Hermione nodded, as she tried to fight back more tears.

'As I am not used to exempt students from assigned punishments, you will still have to serve detention. However, it would probably be best to reschedule… Come tomorrow afternoon, at the same time.'

Hermione nodded, and quickly left the room. Even though it was the middle of a Saturday afternoon, she went straight to the dormitory. She didn't want to speak to anyone, and she knew that Parvati and Lavender were too awkward in her presence to come bother her. She lay there until night time, and even skipped dinner. She wondered how her life could have possibly become such a mess. Why had she lost so many people she loved already ? Why was Snape the one who understood her best now ?

She eventually fell asleep, only to have the nightmare she kept having. She kept reliving _that_ night over and over again.

_She was woken up in the middle of the night by Professor McGonagall, who told her that Harry just had seen her parents being attacked in one of his 'dreams'. Then, she was in Dumbledore's office, along with Harry, Ron and McGonagall, listening to the Headmaster. He explained that he had contacted Order members to investigate, and that none of them was to leave the castle now. At one point, Ron became furious. He screamed that he wouldn't stand there and do nothing. He stormed out of the room, down the spiral staircase. Hermione followed, to try to calm him down, but he was much faster than she was, and she didn't catch him until they were outside, heading for the entrance of the grounds._

'_Ron ! Wait !'_

'_What for ? Someone has to do something !'_

'_Dumbledore already said people were on the way, there's nothing more we can do !' She was still crying from all the time she spent worrying about her parents, and clearly she was worrying about her boyfriend's behaviour now._

'_Well I'm not going to sit back and to nothing.'_

'_Ron, this is crazy ! You've never even apparated yet !' Well, he did, but not without splinching… _

'_I'm not a coward Hermione…' he said in a hurt tone. Hermione had the natural, yet stupid reflex to try and hold him back as he whirled around. So, she was taken with him. They had barely apparated that she felt a strange, unpleasant tingling spread through her body, and everything went black…_

This is where she woke up every night, like she had that exact night, still hoping that someone would tell her Ron and her parents were fine. But every time, her heart sank at the thought that they were all gone.

She couldn't stay in the dormitory any longer. She needed fresh air. So, she left towards the lake. She sat by the edge for a few minutes, enjoying the silence and the cold air and letting her tears flow down her face until she was interrupted.

'Miss Granger, why you are out of bed at this time of the night ?'

She couldn't turn around, or he would see her tears all over her face. She couldn't speak either because her voice would betray her.

'Miss Granger, I asked you a question.' He said impatiently.

'I… I needed fresh air, Sir. I couldn't sleep anymore.' Her voice was indeed quivery. He couldn't possibly miss the fact that she was crying.

'If you are troubled by nightmares, perhaps should you find someone to tell them to ?'

'What for ? Everybody already knows.'

'The point is to get whatever troubles you off your chest, more than tell people your story.' He said almost dismissively.

'_Whatever_ troubles me ? _Whatever_ troubles me ?' She wasn't whispering anymore… Quite the contrary actually.

Now that he heard her say it that way, he thought he might have phrased things differently, but she didn't let him time to explain.

'Oh, nothing troubles me, Sir, everything is just peachy ! Well, maybe except for the fact that my muggle parents were killed because of our bloody wizards war ! And one of my best friends got killed to because he wanted to prove to me that he wasn't someone who sat by and watched whenever something difficult needed to be done ! Oh, and now, everybody sees me as the poor little orphan who needs to be looked after… No really, everything is great !'

Snape was worried for a minute that she might wake people up by yelling that way. But at least she was talking to someone… If only she had chosen someone else…

'Mister Weasley made his own choice. He knew the risks.'

'He took that risk because of me ! I told him that… We had a fight and I wanted to hurt him…'

'As much as I hate to admit it, I believe Mister Weasley was smart enough to realize you were angry, and that you didn't mean what you said.'

'Who cares ? He's dead now, isn't he ? The three of them are…' Her voice was now very low, and tears were streaming down her face again. 'And I'm weak now… Everybody knows it…'

'You are grieving Miss Granger… It has nothing to do with being weak. It will not be easy, but eventually, you will get over it, and start living again.'

He didn't why he was saying that to the Gryffindor know-it-all. But he had lived with the same guilt she was feeling now… Hell, he still had to live with that guilt, and he knew she needed to know someone understood.

She nodded numbly at his words, staring at the lake, and he wondered what she was thinking about. He was even worried that she might be thinking about dying. After all, she was out by the lake, in the middle of the night. Perhaps she was about to do something stupid…

'Miss Granger, I will escort you to Gryffindor tower now.' He spoke in a surprisingly soft way, but he still didn't leave room for discussion.

She got up, and followed silently. As they made it to the portrait of the Fat Lady, Snape grabbed a small vial from his chest pocket.

'Drink this, and get to bed. It's a Dreamless Sleep Potion.' When she hesitated, he added 'The choice is yours between drinking the potion, or going straight to the hospital wing, where I am sure Poppy will make you drink one anyway.'

'Thank you, Sir…' She muttered as she grabbed the potion, and started to move towards the portrait. She didn't expect him to grab her shoulder and hold her back.

'Miss Granger, please drink the potion right now.'

She frowned at him. He couldn't really decide if she was shocked that he didn't trust her or if she was disappointed that she couldn't get out of taking the potion. She complied anyway. She swallowed the potion in one gulp, and turned towards the Fat Lady.

'Goodnight, Sir.' She said after muttering the password.

'Goodnight Miss Granger…'

He didn't bother reminding her of her detention the next day. She wasn't likely to forget anyway…

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**A.N. : Next chapter, things are going to get more interesting, I needed the first two to set things up properly. I'll publish it tomorrow. Don't hesitate to post a review and let me know how you feel about the story so far !**


	3. Unexpected effects

Hi everyone, and thanks to all readers ! This chapter is the one where things actually get interesting :p (or so I hope !)

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**Chapter 3 : Unexpected effects**

She was indeed on time the next day, in his office. The Dreamless Sleep potion seemed to have been helpful. At least she slept. She wasn't joyful, but there seemed to be an improvement.

'I have set up the cauldron. I also took out the recipe for you, as we haven't covered that potion in class. It is relatively long to brew, but the instructions are quite simple.'

She nodded, and got to work. Snape glanced from time to time, to find her completely concentrated on her potion. He was actually impressed that she managed to be so focused in her state of mind, though he would never say it out loud.

As everything seemed to go smoothly about the potion, Snape took the opportunity to leave the room for a few moments. Little did he know that Hermione had been hoping for him to leave ever since she started brewing. As soon as he left, she went straight to the storing cupboard. She rummaged through it roughly, though relatively quietly, until she found what she was looking for and went back to her cauldron. She took a deep breath, and a single tear fell down one her cheek. Then, she threw the ingredient into her cauldron, and watched the liquid start to boil uncontrollably, until everything exploded in a loud bang.

Snape rushed back to find the room in chaos. The state of the room left little hope for the student he had left in it… He couldn't imagine how she could have blown up her cauldron so violently with that assignment… unless she had done it on purpose… When he reached Hermione's former position, he couldn't believe his eyes. He had expected to see to the many, many burns and injuries that covered her body, but he hadn't expected to see that her body had shrunk to the size of a two year old. He immediately muttered spells to cure her most severe burns, not bothering about her size yet. He was too concentrated to notice that Minerva McGonagall had come in, probably alerted by the explosion noise.

'Oh my goodness Severus, what happened here ?'

'Miss Granger had a brewing accident…' He didn't bother turning to look at his colleague. He was too busy curing the student… well the toddler on the floor.

'How … How did this happen ?' Her voice was faltering, which meant she obviously saw she shape of the little girl…

'I do not know which ingredient she might have used. The potion she was brewing did not present any risk… I believe I have cured most of the burns, but I can't do much more.'

'We need to get her to Poppy, Severus.'

He nodded, and gathered the tiny little girl in his arms. She was so tiny that the extra weight didn't even slow him down (not that she had been that heavy as a teenager). They both rushed to the hospital wing, and fortunately, they didn't come across a single student. They barely had time to explain to situation to the mediwitch before they were kicked out. Dumbledore quickly arrived at their side by the hospital wing, and again, Snape explained the "incident".

'Do you believe she might have purposely blown up the cauldron ?'

'I am afraid so… She must have taken something for my cupboard as I left the room.' He pinched the bridge of his nose. 'I should not have left…'

Dumbledore sighed.

'I do not believed it would have mattered my boy… She would have found another way.'

McGonagall, who had remained silent until now, spoke up.

'Do you have any idea of how she turned into a young child ?'

'I believe that she only wished to provoke an explosion, and as strange as it may sound, she must not have thought of other consequences… Armadillo bile mixed with the asphodel root would have made a rather explosive mix. However, the armadillo bile would also react with the fluxweed to cause a de-ageing effect… However, I cannot be sure of what ingredient she used, given the state of the lab, I cannot check anything.'

They had to wait for several long minutes, probably hours actually, until Poppy came out. The mediwitch was literally assaulted by Minerva.

'Poppy ! How is she ?'

Snape and Dumbledore had gotten up as well, and both of them were clearly worried, but they remained calmer than the Transfiguration teacher.

'She will be fine… Her burns are completely cured now. The de-ageing effect of the potion kicked in right after the explosion, and the transformation fortunately restored most of her vital functions.'

'Will she remain in, er… in her new form ?' Snape asked with an almost unrecognisable voice.

'I am afraid so… Ageing potions are dangerous for youngsters. The body development must happen slowly to be healthy. Besides, the de-ageing must have actually removed all the memories from after the age she has now. They would not reappear if we tried to transform her back…'

All of them sighed. Hermione Granger, probably the brightest witch of her age, one of Harry Potter's best friend, was now a two-year-old. She wouldn't have any recollection of ever being a witch and coming to Hogwarts.

'When can we see her ?' McGonagall asked.

'She is sleeping now, and will not wake up for several hours. She will need much rest… but I think she should get used to seeing everyone of you. And she will need qualified guardians…' Poppy answered, sitting in the waiting room with her colleagues.

'She will need to be hidden before anything. No one must know that Miss Granger is now a toddler, except for her close friends, of course. Finding guardians is not the first thing we should worry about.' Snape added, concerned that this new development might give the advantage to the wrong side in the war…

Dumbledore sighed, as McGonagall tapped her eyes with her handkerchief beneath her spectacles.

'I agree.' The Headmaster said. 'We must keep her safe in the castle, at least during the school year, but she must not come across students. I believe it wise also not to notify the entire staff. I will of course warn Filius and Pomona, but I will simply tell everybody else, as well as most of the students, that she has decided to leave the school to live with family members abroad.'

Then, Dumbledore sighed heavily.

'In the meantime, we must all do our best to be a new family to her.'

'I have more room than I need, Albus, I could take her with me when she is ready to leave the hospital wing.' McGonagall said as she pocketed her handkerchief.

'That is very generous of you Minerva.' Dumbledore said as he nodded.

'We will have to take turns to look after the girl during classes and meals.' Poppy added, still visibly shocked. 'Do you think we can truly keep her here, Albus ?'

'We will need to plan things carefully, of course, but yes, I believe we will manage. It seems to be the best thing to do, to keep her safe.'

The adults then sat there for a few long seconds until Poppy went back to check on the sleeping child. McGonagall left to make room for the little girl, to conjure or transfigure whatever she would need, with a grim expression on her face. Dumbledore left to warn Hermione's close friends of her condition. Therefore, Snape was left alone with his thoughts next to the infirmary.

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**A.N. : I hope you enjoyed that part. I'm working on the next chapter right away, it should be up tomorrow :) Don't hesitate to try and guess what's going to happen next, it might give me inspiration :p  
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	4. New Home

A little later than I thought, but published nonetheless ! I'll be a little busy over the week-end, so I can't promise any updates. I'll do my best though :)

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**Chapter 4 : New Home**

Going back to his classroom was not an option. The place was covered with debris from tables, stools and shelves, mixed with shattered glass and remnants of various ingredients and potions. The house-elves would clean that up in a few snaps of their fingers, but he didn't feel comfortable going back there yet. He felt this unmistakable pang of guilt for leaving her alone in the classroom, with all these dangerous ingredients around. At the time, he believed it was safe to leave her alone, because she knew what she was doing. Now he realised it was actually the reason why he should not have left. Even though Dumbledore was right in saying the she would have found another way to attempt suicide, he couldn't help feeling responsible.

On an impulse, he entered the hospital wing. He found poppy sitting next to the tiny girl's bed. He carefully came closer. Even though waking the girl was very unlikely, he didn't want to be thrown out by the mediwitch for risking it. But Poppy didn't object as he sat quietly on the opposite chair. He sat there, watching the strange yet familiar face. She had the child face that Hermione Granger had lost before most of her classmates. Her hair was already bushy, though anyone but Snape would have qualified it of cute at her current age. He couldn't really tell if she would be buck-toothed again, although he was pretty sure she wouldn't be. De-ageing didn't shrink people back to their original self. It turned them into the person that would, in time, become their current self. Therefore, she would most likely grow up to be the same 17-year-old that she used to be, at least physically.

Poppy took her opportunity to get a few hours of rest, and left Snape alone with the child. He suddenly found himself praying that she wouldn't wake up too soon. He didn't know how to handle little children. He was thoroughly experienced with bullying school kids, but he never had to deal with children younger than 11. Fortunately, Hermione slept peacefully until dawn. Poppy was back, and Minerva had come along to visit.

At first, the little girl just stirred in the bed, yawning as she woke up. But pretty soon, she realised she wasn't in her bed, and she noticed people close to her that weren't her parents or anyone else in her family. She started crying, deafening anyone around. Both Minerva and Poppy got up, but the Transfiguration teacher got to the girl first. She took her in her arms, despite her protests, and started rocking her gently. Minerva stroked the little girl's hair softly while whispering soothingly into her hear. After a while, Hermione fell back to sleep.

'You can take her to her new room Minerva, she appears to be in perfect health now. She should get used to your quarters. As for you Severus, get some rest before classes start. Your classroom has been entirely restored, according to Albus.'

McGonagall nodded at Poppy's suggestion, and left the room, while Snape groaned in response to the patronising tone the mediwitch used with him. He complied nonetheless.

As of that moment, they Heads of House, along with Poppy and Dumbledore began their baby-sitting duties. For the first day, McGonagall cancelled her classes, so as not to disturb Hermione, and to help her adjust to her new room. Hermione didn't speak much, except to ask for her parents. Minerva had to explain to her calmly that her parents were gone, because of mean people, but that she and the other teachers would protect her. Luckily, Hermione Granger already seemed to show signs of outstanding intelligence, and understood very quickly that her mummy and daddy wouldn't be coming back, although as all kids, a part of her believed that it was her fault, that they didn't want her anymore. She accepted Minerva's comforting hugs and enjoyed her new cosy room. It was strange how children sometimes accepted things faster than adults. Oh, it wouldn't be so easy. Hermione was bound to ask for her parents again. She would probably do so often in the next few days, but it would become rare with time. She would learn to call Minerva's quarters has her home, and to consider her new guardians as aunts and uncles.

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As expected, Harry had been shocked by the news. Ginny seemed to be taking things in a stronger way, though one could tell she was shaken. As Neville and Luna were also rather close to Harry, Ron and Hermione, they were also told the secret of Hermione's disappearance. Both of them seemed rather sad, though they didn't seem very surprised. They both had to deal with the loss of their close ones. Luna saw her mother die when she was nine, and Neville had been visiting his parents, who had been tortured to insanity by Death Eaters, ever since he was a baby. They probably understood Hermione's grief a little better than Ginny, who luckily hadn't lost any close family members, or Harry who had lost his parents when he was too young to even remember anything.

They have one point in common, though... They all felt guilty. Incredibly guilty to have let Hermione believe that dying would be her best hope. How could they not see their friend's distress ? Well... They did see it, but why didn't they support her better ? Why hadn't they found the words that would have made everything better ?

But when they visited little Hermione, and saw her smile and her shiny eyes, they forgot their grim ideas. They had been insanely nervous about seeing her, and never would have thought that it could be so refreshing. For a whole Saturday afternoon, the four students were invited to McGonagall's quarters to stay with Hermione. She didn't take much time to get comfortable in their presence. She was already used to seeing some people around her.

'Wow, that's a lot of books !' Harry said looking at the shelve, that was filled with picture books mostly, but also books for more advanced kids.

Little Hermione nodded, as she too admired the shelve with a huge smile. She didn't speak though. She never did unless it was to call for her mummy and daddy.

'Does it really surprise you ?' Ginny asked with a smile.

'Not really, but still... There are more books than I've ever owned ! And I'm including school books !'

'Well, she also has more toys than I used to have !' added Ginny. Her family had never been rich, so she probably had to do with her brothers old toys most of the time (not that she minded though, girly toys weren't really her favourites). 'And the box is surprisingly neat, she mustn't play with them much.'

'Now who's surprised ?'

Not paying attention to the couple's gentle bickering, Hermione walked towards Neville who was lost in his thoughts. She apparently wanted to wake him, because she grabbed both of his ears and gently shook his head. Neville, who was usually very annoyed whenever someone commented about or touched his ears, was the first to laugh. Everyone else joined, except for Luna, who was busy reading _The Quibbler _upside down on the bed. The three Gryffindors played for some time with Hermione, which included gripping Harry's glasses, and trying them on (which resulted in a very dizzy walk across the room), and playfully pulling Ginny's hair.

Everyone was surprised when, without warning, Hermione got up, picked up one of her picture books and went to sit next to Luna. She held her book upside down, and started to look through the pages, or at least to try. She was frowning, and every once in a while, she glanced at Luna, probably trying to understand her technique. She quickly gave up, probably thinking that the whole experience was pointless, but Neville fortunately had the time to take a picture of the perplexed little girl sitting next to the eccentric Luna and trying to mimic her.

The afternoon ended too quickly for the students. They were relieved with their baby-sitting duty by none other than Severus Snape. They all thought that being baby-sat by Snape would been terrible for Hermione. They were mistaken obviously, as the little girl practically ran towards the Professor as he came in. She tugged his sleeve until he finally picked her up, and then, she encircled his neck as much as her little arms allowed. The Gryffindors were completely stunned, while Luna stood there, as though everything was normal.

The look Snape gave them clearly said that, were they to repeat this to anyone, they would be in big trouble, although it was hard to tell if they were actually scared by the implicit threat, or if they were holding back laughter. As they all left the quarters, each of them waved to Hermione in their teacher's arms. Then, Snape could have sworn that he had heard the Weasley girl's giggles behind the door...

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**A.N. : I hope you liked it. To be honest, I used Hermione's shock to avoid having to make her talk, because I don't really know how to make such a young child speak, in an understandable, yet kiddy way in English. I figure Hermione could have a "grown-up" way to speak, but still, she should sound like a child. If you know any fanfics where there are young kids talking, I'd be glad to read them and get some ideas of how English kids speak (please send me a message or review if you do). It would sure help for future chapters ! Thanks !**


	5. Visitors and Mimicry

Well, it's been a while, sorry about that. I can't write during the week-end, and I've been on gardening duty at home lately... Had a lot of fun weeding xD

That chapter is very small, I hope the next one will be bigger !

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**Chapter 5 : ****Visitors and Mimicry**

Snape soon forgot the four students that just left and sat down in an armchair, still holding little Hermione.

'It's lucky they can't tell anyone about you, otherwise my reputation would be in danger right now.'

Hermione seemed to listen, but didn't give any indication of an answer, as most of the time. Instead, she stared at him for a few seconds, before climbing down his lap and going back to trying to read her book upside down. He chuckled at the sight, and came by her side.

'Never follow Miss Lovegood's example.' He said as he put the book back in the right position.

He started to go back to his chair, but she tugged his sleeve again. He looked at her, raising an eyebrow, and she thrust her book in his hands. She message was quite clear. She wanted him to read the book with her. He sighed, but complied. This kind of book had very little amount of thick pages, each of which contained about three quarters of images. Reading it wouldn't take long. Snape knew this book was her favourite. She knew it by heart so well that she turned the pages at the right moment, sometimes even without looking.

A few minutes later, Hermione closed the book, satisfied with this reading moment, and started a jigsaw puzzle, while Snape got back to grading the few essays he had brought with him. The game was a muggle game for two-year-olds, that couldn't have had more than 50 pieces. Once he a while, he looked up to see her deep in concentration, trying to fit two unwilling pieces together. Pretty soon though, she developed a strategy. She started from a corner and started to fit the edges together. When Snape looked up, he was surprised to see that Hermione was now in front of a square-shaped frame, holding a middle piece in her hands and trying to determine which way was up. At this age, he expected kids to just try and place the pieces randomly, as she had first started, but Hermione had a very well developed sense of logic for her age.

He still had a lot of work to do, so he gathered all his will and made himself turn back to the dreadful essays on the table. He managed to ignore the little girl while finishing the stack of parchments. When he looked back up, he saw three jigsaw puzzles laying on the floor where she was previously sitting. There were also two picture books on a table nearby, that he didn't recall seeing there before. The girl had kept herself busy apparently. But the most surprising sight was Hermione herself, sitting on the floor, with a piece of parchment and a red muggle pencil. She was tapping her parchment every few seconds, emitting a low disapproving noise (the kind of noise he was probably doing unconsciously when he spotted a mistake on an essay). Once in a while, she dipped her pencil in a glass of water she had previously been drinking. Her face was screwed up as though she was reading some particularly nasty essay. Snape would have laughed if he hadn't heard the click of a camera behind him.

'Well, Severus, I believe you are rubbing off on this little girl !'

'She seems to be in the mood to imitate people tonight.' Snape replied simply.

'I must say she is very talented. Well, you are officially relieved from duty Severus !'

The Headmaster earned himself a rather nasty glare.

'As you very well know, I have other duties... few of which are enjoyable.'

Dumbledore sighed, as Snape got up and gathered his belongings, at which point Hermione looked up. She quickly understood that he was leaving, so she got up and ran towards him.

'Sevwus !'

The high pitched voice surprised both men. Thus far, only Minerva had had the privilege to hear her voice, when she was weeping for her parents. A smile quickly appeared on Dumbledore's face, while Snape remained dumbstruck for a few more seconds before lifting the little girl and saying goodbye quietly. He set her back down and left the room, while Hermione brought her favourite book to Dumbledore and silently asked him to read it to her.

Sometimes, she reminded him of himself. She spent a lot of time playing on her own. She didn't really seek contact with others very much, although she accepted other people's presence rather well. She was a gifted child, a lot more than he had been at least at this age. He couldn't help but wonder if she would grow up to be the same Gryffindor know-it-all he had known. Would she be a Gryffindor ? Chances were that she would. She had a way to impose her wishes to adults (even non-verbally), that definitely showed some courage and confidence. But again, she could grow up and develop other qualities. Her intelligence could easily fit her into Ravenclaw, her natural kindness and compassion could make her a Hufflepuff and her talent and tendency to show off could make her a Slytherin. But he had to admit she was too honest to be a Slytherin. Both old and new Hermiones seemed to see rules as unbreakable vows, while Slytherins usually didn't care much for them, and often broke them, especially if no one was looking. He also thought she was too self-assured to be a Hufflepuff. She had a habit of standing for her opinions, while Hufflepuff, even though loyal and caring, were usually quiet. So, he still hesitated between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. But only time would tell... that is, if he lived as long to find out...

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**A.N. : It's very very short, I'm sorry. I hope you liked it anyway. I'm also sorry I couldn't update sooner. Anyway, I'll try to post a new chapter tomorrow, I'll work hard on it ! Thank you for reading, and please review to tell me what you think of the story, and where you think it is going :)  
**


	6. Not the best time

Hi everybody ! I'd like to thank all the encouraging reviews, I'm glad you liked the story so far, and I hope I'll live up to your expectations :)

Here comes a small chapter :p

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**Chapter 6 : Not the best time**

It had been an eventful year for Snape.

First having to tail Draco and find out what he was up to. Oh, he knew his final goal (as he had made an unbreakable vow to help him and even do it for him), but his means to achieve it were a mystery. After the necklace incident that nearly killed Katie Bell, Snape tried to prevent such foolish attempts. He was unsuccessful since the youngest Weasley boy was poisoned and nearly died too (hadn't it been for Potter's unexpected idea to use a bezoar).

Then, there was the attack on Miss Granger's house. This time, Ron Weasley did die, along with her parents. He had not been warned of the attack. The Dark Lord had set him on the task to observe Malfoy and make sure the boy worked hard for his mission, and therefore hadn't informed him. This of course resulted in the girl's suicide attempt, which turned to accidentally de-age her.

And after that, he got attached to the little girl... He didn't see it happen, so he didn't bother keeping his distance as he usually did. How was he supposed to expect that the Gryffindor know-it-all could be so cute and smart at the age of two ? Somehow, the extreme curiosity and the stubbornness he resented in the teenager were endearing traits for the toddler.

It wasn't the best time to start caring about a child, because now, he had just killed Dumbledore. Not that he wanted to, though. The old fool had asked him... begged him... He had run away from Hogwarts with his fellow Death Eaters, and now, no one, from either side questioned his loyalties. How wrong they were... He was now preparing to go back to Hogwarts... as Headmaster. He was forced to take both Carrows with him as teachers. Students would soon be regretting his own teaching methods...

He knew his return wouldn't be accepted among the staff. He was now a traitor to all of them. He also knew that Minerva wouldn't let him get within thirty feet of little Hermione. Although he would never admit out loud that he missed her, he wondered how it would feel to be so close to the girl, without being able to see her. He finally gathered himself. It wasn't time to care about little kids. Besides the girl had probably forgotten him already anyway...

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He couldn't have been more wrong. In fact, Hermione had stopped asking for her parents at night. The name Sevwus was now recurring in the girls tantrums, though she did ask for Albus once in a while.

It tore Minerva's heart to see the little girl so attached to the one she considered a murderer. She hadn't told the girl that of course. She didn't need to know that. She simply told her that both Albus and Severus had left, that it wasn't her fault and that they would miss her. The girl still seemed to think she had done something wrong, for both wizards to leave her that way, and Slughorn's arrival in the baby-sitting team didn't make up for it. She had fun with 'Howace' but she still asked for Sevwus every night.

From time to time, Minerva spent time with her at the Burrow. Molly was devastated when she heard what happened to Hermione, but everything vanished when she finally held the little girl into her arms. It had been a long time since she held a young child like this, and she always had a slight preference for girls, not that she didn't love her boys.

To nobody's surprise, Hermione didn't like Fleur at all, probably because of the woman's tendency to pinch her cheeks. She absolutely loved Bill, and enjoyed playing with his strange jewels. But surrounded by so many unknown faces, Hermione often came back to sit on Minerva's lap.

'Eet ees unfortunate zat she can't come to ze wedding ! She would 'ave been a very lovely flower girl !'

'She is cute indeed, but she is much too young.' Came Molly's exasperated answer.

'Oh, no, no ! Ze younger, ze cuter !' Fleur pinched Hermione's cheek again, ignoring the reluctance that could be read all over the girl's face, and left the room, leaving Molly free to sigh loudly.

'I was under the impression that you were starting to like her, Molly.'

'Well, sometimes yes Minerva, but she can be very difficult to bear. But I know that she sincerely loves my son so... she can't be that bad.'

'And I wouldn't be surprised if they gave you grandchildren soon ! They both seem quite attached to Hermione. They'll probably want their own.'

'Oh, well I'd be thrilled to have grandchildren, of course ! But I think Bill will want to wait. These times are not the best to welcome children to the world...'

Both women laid their eyes on Hermione, who seemed oblivious to their conversation topic. Indeed, it wasn't the best time to raise children...

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**A.N. : I hope you liked it. I know noting really happened in this one, but the next will be more "active", I promise !**

** I have a little question for you : at what age do children start to pronounce "r" the right way in English ? Hermione will probably be a little early, but I don't want to make her too precocious either, she's still a relatively normal kid, so I really need your advice ! Please PM me or add your answer in a review if you have an idea :)**


	7. Keeping up

Sorry everyone, I started working last week, and it's a lot more time consuming I would have thought. I'm afraid updating will take quite long from now on, because I don't have much time to write and find inspiration. I'm not forgetting the story though, I'll do my best to find a suiting rhythm. Right now, I'm a little sleep deprived, so it's hard to concentrate on my story even when I get the time :/

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**Chapter 7 : Keeping up...**

After Bill and Fleur's wedding, Minerva was happy that she and Hermione didn't go. She had been cautious enough to decline the invitation, she believed it too risky to bring Hermione among a crowd of wizards for several reasons. First, Hermione didn't know many of the guests, and would probably have panicked (especially since Fleur would have burdened her with the flower girl position). Then, she might have been recognized, or someone might have let her name slip, which would have been unadvisable. She hadn't even thought that much about the possibility of a Death Eater attack. Well, Death Eaters... Ministry... There was no difference anymore.

The news of Snape's return to Hogwarts as Headmaster was not completely unexpected by the staff. They knew that Voldemort was now in control of the Ministry of Magic, and that he would make sure that the education of young witches and wizards turned to his advantage. And if they set aside the fact that Snape had cruelly murdered Dumbledore, who was defenceless at the time, they had to admit that he had also done a lot for the school. He had taught there for many years, and even if his methods were disputable, he had his own efficient way of teaching. All teachers were however prepared to welcome Snape as coldly as they could, and to prevent him from harming students, if he ever had the intention to do so.

However, the appointment of the Carrows generated a lot more anger among the staff. Neither of them had teaching experience, and it was clear that their presence had no academic purposes. Defence against the Darks Arts would now become Dark Arts, and would be taught by Amycus. They couldn't deny that he would be an expert in this subject though... Unfortunately, his sister Alecto, who would be teaching Muggle Studies, seemed slightly less informed on her subject than her brother. Muggle Studies would become compulsory, and all pupils would have to learn that Muggles shouldn't be treated any better than animals... Moreover, the Carrows were also to be called for every students who lacked discipline. All teachers silently agreed that they would not report a single students, if they could avoid it. Hogwarts' new disciplinary measures were medieval, and apart from the new staff members, only Filch seemed supportive.

But what troubled Minerva more, was that with Snape and both Carrows in Hogwarts, hiding Hermione would become much harder than it used to be. The "baby-sitting" team was two members short (she would definitely not let Snape anywhere near the girl), and all teachers were going to be heavily watched. They were rather safe, since Voldemort was glad to have them give their knowledge to those who would become his servants. However, they would still be closely watched, and she couldn't have Filius and Pomona come to her office several times a day anymore. Therefore, Minerva asked a house-elf to come and take care of Hermione whenever she couldn't. The house-elves in the kitchens decided to send Winky, who was so happy to be given a true task, and a true new master that she quit Butterbeer immediately, and started spending her evenings knitting clothes for Hermione.

The little girl quickly grew attached to the elf. Winky felt like she was in charge of a new family and could not have been more delighted. She had received orders from Minerva to use elf magic if necessary to prevent any intruders from entering her quarters and harming Hermione. If needed, Twinky was to apparate Hermione away. This ought to be enough to keep her safe from Snape and his Headmaster privileges that would now allow him to get anywhere in the school.

During summer, Minerva had taken Hermione to her house, which wasn't that far from Hogwarts. It was hidden in every possible way from anyone, especially Death Eaters. Minerva decided to come back to Hogwarts alone the day before school started (which turned out to be the day Snape was appointed Headmaster). She couldn't risk bringing Hermione with her through the gates, and it turned out to be a wise decision, she though as she remembered the silky voice that welcomed her as she walked through the gates.

'Setting in later than usual Minerva ?'

Immediately, she drew her wand, and the wizard did the same not even a second later. They stood face to face, wands out, for a few moments.

'I assumed you would have been warned of my recent... nomination ?' His tone was neither friendly, nor threatening.

'I was.' Hers however was much more aggressive. 'This is exactly why I keep my precautions.'

'My, my, Minerva, if the Dark Lord wanted you dead, you would most likely have been killed already. I am merely here to welcome my staff members for this new school year.' He lowered his wand, though he smirked at her, still acting his part of the evil man.

'How thoughtful.' Minerva spat as she reluctantly lowered her own wand. 'However I am perfectly capable of reaching my chambers alone.'

She strode off, and he didn't follow. He was desperate to inquire about Hermione, but it would ruin everything. She wasn't supposed to know that he cared... He wasn't even supposed to care...

Of course Minerva didn't have a clue, and she was still slightly shocked every time Hermione asked for Sevwus in the evening. She had simply told the little girl that Severus couldn't come to visit her, but she hadn't found any explanation suitable for such a young child that wouldn't make her lie. And she couldn't lie... She couldn't make up a story and pretend Snape hadn't done what he did.

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**A.N. : It's very short, I'm sorry :/ With school starting again in the story, I should be able to make longer chapters ! I hope you liked this one anyway :)**


	8. New Safety Measures

Here it is ! It's not extraordinarily long, but it's getting a little better :p I hope you'll like it !

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**Chapter 8 : New Safety Measures**

Later that evening, when all teachers had arrived, Severus had to listen to the Carrows and their great amount of measures to make sure the castle was 'safe' and that teachers were harmless. Alecto had suggested the most disturbing idea : all teachers' quarters were to be searched thoroughly, and repeatedly through the year to make sure that they didn't hide any powerful weapons or anything that could endanger the Dark Lord. This of course meant that Hermione was in danger, and even if he didn't care that much, so was his cover, if they found out that the girl liked him... So, he summoned Minerva to his office, or at least, the office he was forced to use now, and the witch came without trouble, although she stood close to the entrance door stiffly, clearly not wishing to come any closer.

'Minerva, I summoned you here to warn you.'

'About what ? Death Eaters strutting around the castle ? Believe me I noticed...'

He fought the urge to wince at the severity of her tone, and willed himself back into his usual mood. Fortunately, arguing with Minerva used to be one of his favourite past-times. He shot her an annoyed glare, and replied evenly.

'It appears that they wish to conduct a search among teachers' living quarters and offices, at least monthly throughout the year.' At these words, Minerva's stern face seemed to turn to a more worried expression. 'It is imperative that Hermione does not stay with you.'

'I have taken measures to make sure that she remains safe, Severus...'

'Yes... I am sure Winky is infallible...' Seeing the look on Minerva's face, he chuckled. 'Surprised I know of your plans ? You see, as Headmaster, I have a few privileges. For example, the house-elves unconditionally obey to me. Whatever you told Winky cannot overrule my one orders.'

Minerva sighed. Her protections were clearly not enough. She almost forgot who she was talking to, as she thought of other ways to keep the girl safe.

'I could send her to the Burrow.'

'The Weasleys are probably the most hated family in the wizarding world.'

'Then what do you suggest ? Grimmauld Place is out of the question, and all the safe houses used for Potter's transport were broken into, as you very well know.' The last bit was added as an afterthought, but still loud enough for Snape to hear.

Snape sighed.

'There is only place in this castle that the Carrows will not dare to search.'

First, Minerva frowned, wondering what he was talking about. The Room of Requirement ? Too tricky for such a young child. Then what ? A child would be easy to find anywhere... But then she realised. She looked up at Snape, with a mixture of fear and disgust.

'I will not allow you to get anywhere near the girl, let alone let her live here with a cold blooded murderer like you.'

Snape had expected it, but it hurt nonetheless. Of course this is how she would see things, it was the plan after all. But he already hated himself for what he did, and he didn't need anyone reminding him of how much everyone else did. He was at loss of words, and thankfully, a voice behind him took over.

'Do not judge too quickly Minerva...' The voice was tired and weary, but it was pleasantly familiar.

'Albus ?' Minerva was bewildered and slowly came closer to the portrait. This was the first time she heard a sound coming from Dumbledore's picture. He nodded in his frame and smiled kindly.

'You need not fear Severus... Especially when it comes to seeing to our young Hermione's safety.'

She was about to reply but he cut her off.

'Severus did what he did that night, because _I_ had asked him to, Minerva.'

She didn't try to reply anymore. She was gazing from Dumbledore to Snape, clearly waiting for a clearer explanation. Snape wasn't even paying attention to her. He was resting his elbows on his desk, pinching his nose with his eyes closed.

'You see, because of my own foolishness, I was already sentences to death... I knew of Mr Malfoy's mission, and I did not wish such a young child's soul to be ripped apart on my account. I asked Severus to help me go quickly and painlessly. Not only did he selflessly granted me this favour, but he also protected young Draco from committing murder. As a result, Severus has now won the unconditional trust of Lord Voldemort.'

Minerva flopped into one of the armchairs across from Severus. To say she was shocked would have been a major understatement.

'You planned your own death ? And you made him kill you ? How could you ask him such a thing ?'

She seemed disappointed in Dumbledore. Well... she was...

'My death was unavoidable. I merely did what was necessary for us to take advantage in this war. I know how horrible my request to Severus was, but thanks to this, I hope that one day he can be finally free...'

Snape still hadn't looked up. Hearing all of this was too much for him, and he didn't trust himself to even open his eyes right now. Minerva got up, tears glistening in her own, and placed a hand on Severus's shoulder. She couldn't find words to express how sorry she was for doubting him, for calling him all these horrid names over the past few months. This simple gesture, she hoped, would mean more than words. Now, he had support, and he wasn't alone anymore.

After a few minutes, Minerva got back to her seat, while Snape gathered himself and got up.

'I took the liberty of preparing one of the rooms in my private quarters.'

Minerva nodded and followed him. She expected Slytherin colours from floor to ceiling, but she was quite surprised. The room wasn't Gryffindor coloured either (that wasn't at all surprising though). Two walls were light green, while the others were pinkish red. The ceiling was an enchanted sky. It didn't show exactly the sky outside like the Great Hall. During the day, it showed a bright blue sky, without nice white clouds, and during the night, it showed a glimmering starry sky. The floor was light beige wood. There was no furniture yet, but Winky could easily transport her current ones, which could be transfigured to match the room.

'This is wonderful !' Minerva gasped as she looked around. 'I didn't believe you knew that black wasn't the only colour, Severus.' She joked.

'I don't mind a few colours as long as they don't find their way to my wardrobe.' He answered with a smirk.

Then, Minerva went back to her quarters. She kept Hermione busy out of her room while Winky was silently apparating all her furniture to her new room, where Severus took care of transfiguring anything that needed a change of shape or colour.

She didn't really know how the tell Hermione that she had to move, but somehow, she knew that the idea of seeing Severus again would help her accommodate.

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**A.N. : I just can't stand the idea if Severus all alone and misunderstood, when he's finally a good guy, I think he needs a little support and company. In the next chapters (I hope I can one tomorrow !), we're going to see little Hermione again, if you have any ideas about funny things she could do or say, I'd love to hear them ! Again, I hope you liked it, and I appreciate any kind of criticism, so please review :)**

**By the way, I put a picture of what Hermione's room would look like, more or less, on my profile.**


	9. A Lovely New Family

Wow, last chapters I got a whole bunch of new readers ! Thanks everyone, I hope you'll like the rest of the story :)

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**Chapter 9 : A Lovely New Family**

As expected, Hermione was distraught by the news that she had to move.

'You not want me.' She whined as she ran away from Minerva to her own room, only to find that all her belongings had disappeared, which only increased her panic. Well Hermione talked now, but only when something bothered her. Only then did she find the urge to speak.

'No, Hermione, believe me, if I could, I would keep you with me at all times. But it is no longer safe for you to live here.' Minerva took the little girl in her arms and hugged her tightly. 'I want you to be safe Hermione. And I will visit you as much as I can. And you will live with someone you will be happy to meet again.'

Hermione frowned. She was too upset by the idea of leaving her room and Minerva that she couldn't think of anyone worth all of that.

'You will be living with Severus dear.' Minerva added with a smile.

Hermione's eyes immediately lit up, and soon, she was bouncing excitedly in Minerva's arms.

'Go see Sevwus ! Me see Sevwus now !'

Minerva chuckled. She knew that she didn't compare next to Severus in Hermione's eyes, especially since she hadn't seen him the whole summer. But she didn't expect such enthusiasm. When Winky came back, she apparated them all to Severus's sitting room. Severus had fallen asleep on an armchair, his book laying forgotten in his lap.

Minerva fought the urge to burst into laughter as Snape awoke, a mass of bushy hair covering his hair. Hermione had run to his chair and climbed onto his lap to hug him as tight as her little muscles could. Snape didn't take much time to hug the little body back, and pretty soon, Minerva had to fight the urge to burst into tears as she watched the scene in front of her.

Winky, however, did not bother fighting anything, and started wailing loudly, and blowing her noise with a trumpet sound. Hearing this, Hermione climbed down Snape's lap and looked at the elf with a puzzled expression.

'It's OK Winky. Evwybody happy !' She said with a little smile. The elf was still overwhelmed by emotion, and left towards the Headmaster's personal kitchen, crying even louder, and mumbling something about a lovely family.

Snape chuckled at the scene, while Minerva rushed to explain Winky's reaction to Hermione, though she too seemed a little amused.

'Winky is very happy too dear. Sometimes people cry when they are very happy, and it's been a long time since Winky's been happy. Don't worry, she will be in a wonderful mood tomorrow.'

Hermione seemed somewhat reassured, and stopped paying attention to the elf, as Severus got up and offered to see her room. The little girl was completely amazed by her room, which was much more childish than her old one. She ran towards her favourite furry toy on the bed, a rather orange squirrel, and hugged it. The squirrel's tail added an orange fluff to her hair.

'I gather that you like this room ?' Snape asked as he watched her hug the plushy. Hermione nodded vehemently, and came to hug Snape again, squeezing her squirrel between his legs and herself.

'Well, it is time for me to go back to my room.' Minerva said, as she crouched (with difficulty due to the age) in front of Hermione, who let go of Snape, and looked at her. 'I will be there tomorrow afternoon. Be very good to Severus and Winky !'

Hermione nodded again, it hadn't occurred to her young self yet that rules could ever be broken. She didn't understand why grownups were so keen to remind her of that. She and Minerva hugged, and Minerva left after wishing her a good night. She didn't bother Winky, since she was perfectly entitled, as Deputy Headmistress (position neither Carrows actually wished to take over), to be seen exiting the Headmaster's office.

Severus was a little dumbfounded to be alone with Hermione. He was now her main guardian, and he could still hear Winky weeping from time to time in the kitchen. He had looked forward to seeing Hermione again, but he hadn't thought the details that carefully. He had baby-sat before, but never more than two hours in a row... What was he supposed to do with a child in his quarters _all_ the time ?

As if on a cue, Hermione found her favourite book on the neatly organised shelve, and handed it to him. He caught it, but she didn't let go. Instead, she pulled the book towards her bed. He could have easily resisted, but he complied anyway. He understood fully started getting comfortable under the covers. He didn't need to know what to do, she had perfect ways to make sure people understood her. Right now, she was merely asking for her bedtime story. Minerva had bathed her, so she was now perfectly ready to go to bed.

'This story again, huh ? This story puts you to sleep every night, and yet you don't seem to grow tired of it...' He said sarcastically.

She wasn't the least bothered by his sarcasm and simply looked at him expectantly. So, he began reading the story he still knew by heart even though he hadn't read it in about two months.

His soothing voice and his talent for emphasis quickly led her to fall asleep, long before half the story was finished. Seeing she her sleeping face, he carefully shut the book and set it aside. He got up from the bed, only to crouch beside it a moment later.

'I fear you may never hear the end of that story...' He whispered, before kissing her forehead lightly and tucking her in carefully. He left the room with a last glance by the door, and headed towards his own. She was safe, and apparently happy. For once, he might have a peaceful night.

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**A.N. : Well, I decided that I'd stop trying to make long chapters. I get too easily distracted while I write, and being stressed over the length of the story is no good. So, instead, I'll try to update more, even if chapters are small ! That seems like a good compromise to me :p I might be able to update around four times a week this way, and I'd be less stressed over silly things like the number of words I've written !**

**I hope you liked this chapter, I certainly enjoyed writing it. The next one is probably going to zoom much later during the year. Unless you have ideas of things that happen during the book that I could incorporate in the story ? Let me know if you have any ideas ! Just to warn you, tomorrow I have a very busy day at work, so next update will probably be Wednesday ^^**

**I always enjoy reviews, even if you have bad things to say (though I don't say no to good comments either xD)**


	10. In the Headmaster's head

Alright, I warn you : nothing happens here. It's just about Snape's thoughts. There'll be more "action" in the next chapter (nothing violent I think, just more character interaction ^^).

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**Chapter 10 : In the Headmaster's head**

Snape's first year as Headmaster was difficult. Of course, he was probably the first Headmaster ever to also serve as a Death Eater, and as a spy for Dumbledore (or at least for Dumbledore's portrait).

The first surprise of the year was that several students didn't come back, even if attendance had been made compulsory. He wasn't expecting Potter to be back, since Dumbledore warned him that he had a mission to fulfil. However, Longbottom and Lovegood did not come back either. He assumed they had gone with him, to help him. They were his closest friends now. As a result, the Weasley girl was particularly depressed, at least at first.

Quite soon, she found herself a new goal : resisting Snape's regime. This was a stupid idea in Snape's opinion, especially since it forced him to allow dreadful punishments he wouldn't even had wished for Sirius Black. He understood their need for resistance, but he wished they could be more quiet and tried to keep themselves safe, since there was only so much he could do to keep them out of harm's way with the Carrows in charge of discipline at Hogwarts. Ginny recruited several members that had previously belonged to Dumbledore's army. At least, they kept the other students hopeful, when many mornings, they found walls covered with messages about the DA recruiting. In a way, he admired their determination, but he couldn't help finding them rather foolish, especially when they attempted to steal Gryffindor's sword from his office. Luckily, he was the one who caught them, and he was able to set their punishment himself, otherwise the Carrows might have killed one 'accidentally'.

During the year, he also had to protect Hermione. His quarters were safe, since he made it clear to all staff, including the Carrows, that he wouldn't tolerate any intrusion in his personal space. The Carrows weren't nearly as appreciated by the Dark Lord as he was, so they took his orders without question. He summoned Minerva to his office very often (he had many excuses, since she was Deputy Headmistress, and most of the misbehaving students were Gryffindors), and so, they both took care of Hermione, along with Winky. But Hermione didn't see them enough to her liking. Sometimes, as Snape came to his quarters at the end of the day, Hermione pouted for several long minutes, because she had to spend the entire day with Winky.

Snape had considerably modified his quarters for Hermione to be more comfortable. He wanted her to breath fresh air at least a few minutes every day, so he created a disillusioned balcony. Therefore, Hermione could play outside safely. He also added extra wards to his cupboards and drawers, ever since a quite bothersome incident. He had come home one night, to find Hermione talking strangely rapidly, and not making sense at all. She usually spoke a lot less, but a lot more clearly. It turned out she had managed to open one of his storage cupboards, probably using her magic unknowingly, while Winky was busy making her breakfast. Since she was hungry, she swallowed the first thing she found : a Babbling Beverage. Luckily, the potion wasn't dangerous, and he didn't store poisonous ones anyway, but he decided to be as prudent as possible (especially since he didn't want to have to listen to Hermione's nonsense ever again). Snape never believed he would ever need to 'baby-proof' anything.

Nonetheless, this year was his most refreshing one in Hogwarts. For once, he wasn't alone. He used to be satisfied with solitude, but now that he had company, he appreciated it a lot more. For the first time, he also had the unconditional trust of someone other than Dumbledore. He could live without Minerva's trust of course, but he felt relieved to have someone know what side he was on.

Protecting Hermione during the school year was even easier than he thought. Having recently killed Dumbledore, he had earned himself the respect of all Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort himself. Even Bellatrix couldn't find reasons to doubt him anymore, though she tried hard. The Carrows never suspected that he was hiding one of the most wanted witches in Britain. So, he tried to spend time with Hermione. With time, she started speaking better, and become more open. Winky was extremely helpful. She knitted clothes, took care of Hermione's meals, kept everything spotless. She was planning on teaching Hermione how to speak, but Severus specifically asked her not too, in order not to let the little girl talk with "elf grammar". The only thing Hermione lacked was seeing other people. The only people who knew where she was where Snape, McGonagall and Winky. She was safe this way, but it wasn't very good for her... It certainly hadn't been good for him... As a small child, he never got to meet people. His parents were his only company. He felt bad for doing that to Hermione, but he comforted himself, thinking that at least, she was still happy in her new home.

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**A.N. : Next chapter might take several days, since I still have to decide what's going to happen. I'm not quite sure yet. Besides, I have a few things coming up. It should be there at least next Monday, hopefully sooner though ! I hope you liked this tiny one :) **


	11. Dreams of the past, Dreams of the future

Hey everybody ! Here's a new chapter. I hope you'll like it.

The next chapter will probably be the last of this story. There will be a sequel though ! I'm not giving details yet, but I should start publishing soon after the end of this one :)

Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy the end of this story, I'll try and post it in the next few days ^^

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**Chapter 11 : Dreams of the past, Dreams of the future**

Every night, he relived the same dream. Well, it wasn't really a dream. It was more a rush of sensations, with absolutely no image. While staring at the black canvas that hid anything else from him, he felt pain. Horrible pain spreading through his body. He felt an unpleasant warmth run through each of his veins and making each of his muscles sore. And then, he heard noises, slightly distracting him from his aching head, his aching chest, his aching stomach, his aching limbs, his aching everything. He couldn't quite determine the source of the noises, but he felt someone was there. Where ? If only he knew... His brain refused to work properly, and he gave up any kind of thinking. He still instinctively managed to open his eyes, and now he saw again. He was in a familiar wooden house, and around him, he saw three familiar faces. They all seemed terrified. There was a blond girl, whom he didn't remember ever seeing afraid before. Beside her stood two boys. One of them, he was sure, had often been frightened by him before. He had seen this face many times, though he didn't really remember where. The other face was the most familiar of all. It was a face he hated of sight, but the eyes that stared at him were the eyes he had always loved. For the first time, he managed to stare into these eyes, forgetting about his foe's face that surrounded them, until he didn't have the strength to keep his eyes open anymore.

Then, his thoughts wandered towards Hermione. He convinced himself that the girl was safe and happy, and thought about her giggles for what he thought would be the last time as he felt himself drift deeper and deeper into unconsciousness.

When he woke up, he found that he was in the hospital wing, in the middle of the night. His potions never lasted the night, so he always woke up there, as he had _that_ night. He was recovering from Nagini's bite safely now, although the nature of the poison forbid him to take Dreamless Sleep Potions, or to take any stronger anaesthetics. So, every night, he relived _that_ night. He relived it with a terrible guilt. That night, he was ready to die. He had hoped to die. He had selfishly believed that Hermione would be safe and happy, and he let go, almost embracing death. If it hadn't been for Loony Lovegood, he would be dead for sure, but luckily, she was there, and always carried all sorts of antidotes and medicines with her. The specific antidote she used on him was originally meant to be immune to Wrackspurt attacks for a whole week, but apparently, it was efficient on snake bites too.

So, every night, he woke up in both physical and emotional pain. Every night, he was reminded of his weakness. He had considered abandoning Hermione. He had even embraced that thought for a few seconds. And since Poppy hadn't allowed visits yet (especially for such a young child), he knew that she probably felt he had abandoned her. During the year, he had come to consider her as part of his life. The only part of his life that made it worth living . The only part of his life that was his choice, and that hadn't been the result of a terrible mistake he had made years before.

He had trouble to actually believe that he was free now. Voldemort was dead. He had been cleared from all charges without a trial that had been pressed against him, thanks to Potter's insistence. The Daily Prophet had published his story and his reasons for fighting the Dark Lord, mentioning his good heart and loving spirit. He would have laughed but it would have been painful, so he just shuffled the paper and threw it away with an exasperated 'Huff'. The Quibbler had remained a little more realistic (for once). Xenophilius Lovegood seemed to understand the guilt he had felt for endangering Lily, and certainly didn't write anything as ridiculous as 'Snape' and 'loving spirit' in the same sentence. But he didn't really care that his mask had fallen. He didn't give much thought to what people thought, and he didn't have any game to play anymore.

Like every night, Poppy came to check on him.

'How many times will I have to tell you that you must call me when you wake up ?' the mediwitch scolded.

Snape sighed. He knew he wasn't a good patient, but he had been used to suffer in silence, and he would feel rather childish calling for Poppy every night. He still held to the little bit of pride he had left. The mediwitch immediately started to apply a relaxing salve on his legs, arms and chest which eased the pain considerably.

'Do you need a small Sleeping Draught to go back to sleep ?'

'No, I will be fine, thank you.'

The mediwitch eyed him a little suspiciously, but nodded.

'Very well. Have a good night. Tomorrow, if you feel rested enough, I might authorise a few visitors.' She said as she put a friendly hand on his shoulder and left to her own bed.

He hadn't lied, without the pain that had woken him, he already felt himself getting sleepy, and he would have probably been asleep already if it weren't for the thought that he might see Hermione again after all these endless lonely days.

After what felt like mere seconds, Snape was woken up by a little weight on his chest, little arms around his neck and bushy hair all over his face.

'Sevwus !'

Snape opened his eyes groggily and started to remember where he was. The infirmary was now brightly sunlit, so he must have slept more than a few seconds after all. He didn't waste time to return Hermione's hug and kissed her forehead, before someone took the little girl back. Minerva seemed to have run a little. Obviously, Hermione had run free from her baby-sitter and climbed on the bed without authorisation.

'Hermione, you mustn't climb on his bed like that, he is recovering and he needs calm.'

Hermione pouted and pushed her lower lip slightly, but she nodded anyway.

'She was in a hurry to see you.' McGonagall told Snape with a grin.

Snape chuckled too.

'I can see that.'

'How are you feeling, Severus ?' Minerva was now setting into her motherly mode.

'Better. I can sit up on my own now.' He said as he demonstrated that he indeed could. 'poppy told me I would recover completely, the hard part is apparently over. In a few days, I will be able to start to try and walk a little every now and then. I should be out of here in two or three weeks.'

'That's good, because Hermione here can't wait for your return.'

Hermione slowly stopped sulking and tried to lean towards Snape, from Minerva's arms. The older witch allowed her to sit on the bed next to Snape. He encircled her with one of his arms to keep her from falling and Hermione snuggled into him a little.

'She's even refused to move back to my room while you are recovering. So, I transfigured myself a bed in your quarters to stay with her at night, I hope you don't mind.'

'Of course not. Besides, these quarters will most likely become yours quite soon.'

Minerva looked at him. Within a few seconds, her confused look turned to an amused expression.

'Oh, you think I will be made Headmistress ?' She asked with a smirk.

'Well, you would have been promoted already if the Ministry hadn't fallen last year. You have been Deputy Headmistress since before I even came to Hogwarts.'

'Yes, and I am perfectly satisfied with that position. I have not been offered the position of Headmistress, Severus, and even if I had, I would have declined.'

Snape nodded. Minerva hadn't really sought power in her life, and he wasn't surprised that becoming Headmistress didn't interest her. Then, he started thinking. Filius would probably get it then. He was a powerful wizard, he had taught at Hogwarts about as long as Minerva had and he had a certain charisma despite his unusual height. Besides, there hadn't been any Ravenclaw Headmasters for some time now. There was no doubt he would be a good Headmaster.

Minerva had been observing him with an amused grin the whole time he was thinking about this.

'Still thinking about candidates ?'

'Filius is the only I can think of.' Snape said flatly as Hermione pretended to be his nurse, and started pulling his sheets up to his chin to keep her patient warm.

Minerva chuckled.

'Severus, no one has been offered the position.'

'Well the Board of Governors should hurry, the new Headmaster will have much to do during the summer.'

'You misunderstand me. No one has been offered the position, because there is no position to fill. Hogwarts already has a Headmaster.' She said with a genuine smile.

He hadn't seen that coming. He knew everyone believed in his innocence now. But he would never have thought that he would remain as Headmaster. He didn't really know if he wanted to. He hadn't really experienced what this position meant, since the previous year had been rather strange. He let Hermione touch his forehead and exclaim happily that he had no fever, as he started considering himself as Hogwarts' Headmaster once more.

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**A.N. : I hope you liked it ! So this is almost over for now. I'm still not sure how I will conclude this story. I don't want to rush it, so the next chapters might take a few days. Anyway, thanks for reading this, and please review :)**


	12. A New Life Indeed

Hi everybody ! I'm really sorry it took so long, but inspiration took a while to come on this one… Besides, I had to move back to my school appartment, organize my start of term, and everything… well, I've been busy ^^

But here it is ! The final chapter, I hope you'll like it :)

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**Chapter 12 : A New Life Indeed**

'I heard you had hired a new Defence Against the Darks Arts teacher ?' Minerva asked, holding her cup of tea close to her mouth to blow softly on the hot liquid.

Severus nodded. 'Auror Savage believes he is getting a little too old to run after dark wizards. Of all the people I interviewed, he was the most experienced. He isn't as much of an expert as one may have hoped, but he knows the subject quite well, and I think he will be able to maintain discipline in a classroom.' Choosing a new DADA teacher hadn't been easy... Most of the candidates were incompetents who just wanted to know what his Dark Mark or his snake bite scar looked like... Among the few who actually wanted the job, very few had a decent curriculum. Savage was about as close as he would get to a competent teacher. And he was enthusiastic and would probably become a good professor with time.

Minerva quite agreed with his choice. Having met Auror Savage as he had been on guard duty around the school, she knew he was very professional.

'You still haven't interviewed anybody for the Muggle Studies position ?' Snape shook his head in response.

'The board of Governors have not responded to my request yet. Until then, I cannot advertise about the position.'

'You could still select a few decent candidates, and explain to them the delicate situation you are in for the moment.' Minerva was always worried about schedules, and she hated the idea of an unoccupied teaching position, especially so close to the beginning to the school year.

'Perhaps I should...'

Both of them let a comfortable silence take over as they sipped their tea quietly, until Minerva felt the need to break it.

'I still wonder why they take so long about your request. It is a very good idea in my opinion !'

'It was originally the Dark Lord's idea... They are worried that perhaps I would try to continue on his path, even after his downfall.'

'That is ridiculous... Albus and Harry have both offered significant proof of your role during this war ! And the governors kept you at Headmaster, didn't they ? And even if the idea came from Voldemort at first, it was not the same idea at all. Muggle Studies should have been part of the compulsory curriculum since the foundation of this school ! Or at least since the International Statute of Secrecy... Wizards must learn to understand Muggles ! Voldemort made the subject compulsory because he wished to tell young wizards that Muggles and Muggle-borns were animals. They must know you have no intention to do such a thing...'

Severus smirked. After such a monolog, there was no doubt that Minerva was a Gryffindor, though she had some Hufflepuff principals.

'They are aware that the school year starts in less than a month... They will give their decision soon I believe.'

'Let's hope so...' After another sip of tea, Minerva decided to change the subject. 'Is Hermione still at the Burrow ?'

Severus nodded. 'Molly is going to bring her here soon actually. She has offered to baby-sit so much that I believe she misses taking care of young children. But I'm concerned of the influence her children would have on her... especially those twins.'

Minerva chuckled. 'I don't think you have much to worry about. Hermione already frowns upon all kind of rule breaking. She might grow up to be even more strict than either of us.'

'She probably will...'

Again, they enjoyed a few minutes of silence, until Minerva decided to probe a little further.

'Have you... thought a little more about our suggestion ?' She asked in a tone that she hoped neutral.

Severus sighed. 'Of course I have... but I still don't see how this would be a good idea.'

'She loves you more than any of us, Severus. Surely you noticed that.'

'It is not the point. Last year I took her because it was the safest option for her. No one suspected her presence in my chambers. But now she can live with a proper family, in a real house, with people whom she won't have to be ashamed of once she grows up.'

'Severus, why would she be ashamed of having a father like you ?'

Snape felt his heart skip a beat at the word _father_. Of course he would love to be her father. He already considered her as his daughter... But he had to think further than that.

'Minerva, I am a loathed bitter man. Even though I have been officially cleared of all possible charges, people still have doubts about me. I am the Headmaster of the school she will attend in a few years. Every now and then, the Daily Prophet publishes a few mocking comments about me. I don't care about my reputation, but I can't let her live with it as well. She will have enough trouble dealing with her own publicity, now that her de-ageing has been made public...'

'Exactly Severus... She will need someone who can show her how to go on with her life without paying attention to other people's opinion. Someone who has dedicated his adult life to do what is right no matter what, and who has always had to deal with the judgements of others.'

Severus never knew what to answer to that kind of compliments. But at least Minerva didn't overdo them. He knew she was sincere. There was nothing he could say to tell her she was wrong... and Merlin he hated that...

'Severus, I am sure that living with you will keep Hermione happy. She wouldn't want it any other way. And she will learn to deal with the gossip and whispers. She never really were popular before, remember ? It is very nice of you to consider her future happiness, but you are very wrong. I have no doubt that she will be happiest with you, and that you will be happiest with her as well.' Minerva got up, put her hand on his shoulder for a few seconds, and then left his office.

Again, she was absolutely right. Hermione had always managed being the Gryffindor know-it-all, and hadn't changed her attitude after all. She never had many friends, but she still was herself, and she never cared for popularity.

He remained on his chair in the sitting area for a long time, though he couldn't have told how long. He kept thinking about Hermione, and her future. Would she really be happier with him than anybody else ? Perhaps... He wanted to believe it anyway. And he had never been happier than when the little girl's arms tied themselves around his neck, or when he watched her sleeping peacefully, unaware of the danger the wizarding world could have been in.

And then he realized that it was only up to him to make sure that she would indeed be happy. He got up slowly, and walked towards his desk. He retrieved a piece of parchment he had carefully placed in his drawer, and read it carefully. Finally, he signed it, and the parchment folded itself, before flying out the windows towards the Ministry. After all, even the Ministry had seemed to agree that he would be a suitable father for Hermione...

He waited in silence for a few minutes, until the Floo flared and a plump red-headed woman entered, holding a bushy-haired little girl. The woman smiled as she put the little girl down, and watched her run towards Severus to be taken in his arms.

Snape hugged the little girl with a small smile on his lips.

'Thank you Molly.'

'You are welcome Severus, dear. Have a good night. Goodbye Hermione !'

Mrs Weasley left through the Floo as Hermione waved at her with one hand, still leaning against Snape's chest as much as she could. Meanwhile, Severus simply enjoyed holding his newly official daughter.

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**A.N. : Here it is ! I didn't want to keep you waiting more, so I posted this even though the sequel isn't ready yet. I'll post it in another story, though I'll put a warning on this story to tell you all.**

**I hoped you liked the story, and thank you for reading it :)**


	13. Author's NotPlease read the sequel :D

The sequel is finally published (well the first chapter is at least), for those who haven't noticed.

The title is _"Her Own Life"_, and it will deal with Hermione's life at Hogwarts, and probably afterwards. Do you have any ideas about what you want her to do ? What job do you think she should get in her adult time ? Who should she date (as a teen or an adult) ? Etc… I'd really like your opinion.

Anyway, if you feel like sharing, I'm always listening :p And thank you again for reading this story. I hope you'll like the sequel.


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